Machine or appliance for dealing playing-cards.



J. E. SCHMIDT.

MACHINE 0R APPLIANCE FOR DEALING PLAYING CARDS.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 9, 1911.

1,628,286 Patented June 4, 19 12.

* rarin enrich;

JENS ERNEST SCHMI DT, 0F HESSLE, NEAR KINGSTON-UPON-HULL, ENGLAND.

MACHINE OR APPLIANCE FOR DEALING PLAYING-CARDS.

- shire, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines or Appliances for Dealing Playing-Cards; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of this invention .is to provide an improved machine or appliance for dealing playing cards to persons taking part in card games, a card dealing machine or appliance in accordance with my invention being extremely simple of construction and particularly effective and reliable In dealing out the cards correctly no matter What the thickness of the cards may be.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is an elevation of a card dealing machine in accordance with my invention showing one side of the card holding frame; Fig. 2 is a similar view but with the card holding frame turned to show its open end or front; Fig. 3 is a plan View; Fig. 4 is a plan view with the card projecting disk removed, part of the false bottom of the card holding frame being broken away to enable parts underneath to be seen; Fig. 5 is a plan vlew ofa part of a device showing the top card of the pack being carried awayfrom such pack, and Fig. 6 is a detail of the card projecting disk and a conv enient method of mounting the same and keeping it steady and insuring one of the ribs on the underside of the disk being brought up to the edge of the top card of the pack ready for commencing dealing of the cards.

Thesame letters and numerals of reference are used to indicate like parts throughout the several figures.

A card dealing machine in accordance with my invention consists chiefly of a card holder or receptacle A so mounted on a suitable base or support B as to be freely rotatable thereon, and a card distributer consisting of a horizontal disk or plate C so mounted on the card holding frame as to project over the top of one corner or one side of the said frame and to be capable of rotating the said card holding frame around the center of the disk and underneath the v Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 9, 1911.

Patented June a, 1912. Serial No. 632,177.

same when the handle of the disk is held and a circular movement is made by the hand which holds, the disk handle, the disk C being provided on the underside with ribs Cf radially arranged or nearly so, the functlon of each rib being, as the card holding frame rotates underneath the disk, to engage the edge of the then top card of the pack as such card comes in contact with the rib, and carry it forward and project it in the direction of the player to whom it is to be dealt, the number of ribs with which the disk is provided corresponding with the number of players to whom cards have to be dealt.

One wall of the card holding frame,which wall is. indicated by the letter (a) is of such a height in one or more places as to leave only 'a sul'iicient space between its top and the underside of the disk to allow one card only to pass through at a time. A convenient point at which the card holding frame is pivoted to the base or support B is atabout the center of one side of the frame, and a convenient point at which the disk C is pivoted to'the said card holding frame is at the inner corner'of such frame, but the positions of such pivots may be at other points than those mentioned which however I find very suitable for imparting the most suitable swing to the card holding frame and for causing easy rotation of such frame. The pivot of the card holding frame is preferably in the form of a" pin or pillar B mounted on the base or support B, the card holding frame being provided with a sleeve A to pass on to such vertical pin or pillar, such frame being conveniently prevented from lifting by a washer B passed on to the top of the pillar and a nut B screwed on the said pillar above the washer. 'Balls or the equivalent B may be placed between the bottom of the sleeve A and the base B to form bearings whereby the said card holding frame will rotate freely. The pivot for the disk C is also preferably in the form of a vertical pin or pillar B projecting from the bottom of the card holding frame, and the disk C has a"'central' downwardly projecting tubular member-"or sleeve C on its underside to pass on to the vertical pin or pillar B, the disk having a central hole for the top of the pin or pillar B to project through.

The handle D of the disk C is refera-bly mounted on the sleeve C which projects shape of handle also allows the person dealing the cards to obtain a firm grip of the handle and so hold the disk firmly against rotation in relation to the hand. a The disk and'its handle are conveniently prevented from lifting by a washer D passed on to [the vertical pin or pillar 13, above, or in a.

recess formed in the top of the handle, and by a nut I) screwed on the top of such pin or pillar above the washer D The card holder is provided with a false bottom E on which the pack of cards Fis placed, said false bottom bearing on a lever G mounted on a rod or bar Gr pivoted in the bottom of the card holding frame, the,

lever G being pressed upwardly by the end of a helical or like spring H mounted on the rod or bar G the opposite end of such spring bearing on the underside of the card holder, or being suitably fixed. A .fingerplate G is mounted on the end of the rod or bar G at the outside of the card holding frame for the purpose of turning the said rod or bar somewhat to move down the lever G to enable the false bottom E to fall to allow the pack of cards to be placed-in the card holding frame, which is open at one end for that purpose. The lever Gnormally presses on the underside of the false bottom E and'causes such false bottom to keep the cards pressed up to the underside of the disk C. The false bottom E preferably has a hole E in it at one side through which asses a vertical pin or pillar E mounted on the bottom of the'card holding frame at one side, the said pin or pillar serving as a guide for the false bottom to work on.

For the purpose of holding the disk steady in 'a starting position which corresponds to any one of the ribs C on the underside of the disk being close up to the side of the pack of cards 'in the card holding frame, when the said disk is mounted on a different pin or pillar to that on which the card holding frame is mounted, I provide the bottom of the sleeve C with a square or other polygonal enlargement whereby a number of corners or points C are formed equal to the number of ribs C on the underside of the disk, and l secure a piece of ribbon spring I at one side of the bottom of the card holding frame in such a position that it bears on the enlarged bottom end of the sleeve C and I mount a short fixed level or arm K on the rod or bar G pivoted in the bottom of the card holding frame, to which lever or arm K I connect one end 0 a piece ofspriug wire or of a thin rod K the free end of which passes through a hole f side of the pack in a pivoted guide L mounted on the inside of the card holding frame opposite to the rod or bar G Should the disk C be left out of starting position when the cards are .dealt and the hand is removed from the disk handle, the movement of the lever or arm K by depressing the finger-plate G will cause the wire or rod: K to move forward until its free end comes in contact with that corner of the squared or like portion of the enlarged bottom of the sleeve C which'is in its path and will press thereon so causing the disk 0 to rotate slightly, the spring I by bearing on another corner or part of the said enlarged bottom, causing continuation of the movement once the dead 'center is passed until the said spring I bears on a flat portion of such enlarged bottom which insures oneof the ribs C moving around and coming to rest in such a position that dealing of the cards can be immediately commenced. Projections such as M M may be provided at the bottom of the card holding frame .for sweeping off any cards which may happen to fall on the base or .support B. p v I may secure cloth, felt or the like on the under side of the base or support, as marked S in Fig. 1 to prevent the base from moving during. the operation of dealing the cards.

When the machine is to be used, the finger plate G is depressed which has the double-effect of allowing the false-bottom E of the card-holding frameA to fall to allow of the cards being inserted in such frame, and of causing the disk C to rotate to-bring one ofthe ribs C on the underside thereof into close proximity with the side of thecard holding frame, should the disk when the machine was last used-have been left in such a position that none of the was in the position named, and assuming of course that the disk is not a fixed one, the

cards are then inserted in the card holding frame and the finger-plate allowed to return to its normal position, when .the false-bottom is forced upward by the spring actuated arm or lever G and presses the cards into contact with the underside of the disk C. The person whose duty it is to deal the cards then takes hold of the handle D and performs a circular movement of the hand in the direction of the arrow shown in Figs, 3, 4 and 5 which rotates the card holding frame around underneath the disk 0 which disk is all the time so held that it does not itself rotate in relation to the hand notwithstanding that it rotates with the card holding-frame around the pivot of such frame. As the card holdin frame .rotates underneath the disk, the

of cards is brought into contact with each rib on the underside of the disk in succession, and a card is retained and ribs of a plate supported above the card holder and provided with projections which deal the cards as the card holder is rotated.

2. In a card dealing machine, the combination, with a rotary eccentric card holder,

of a plate supported above the card holder and provided with projections which deal the cards as the card holder is rotated, a narrow channel being provided between the top of one side portion of the said card holder and the said plate, whereby the cards are dealt singly.

3. In a card dealing machine, the combination, with a rotary eccentric card holder, of a plate supported above the card holder and provided with projections which deal the cards as the card holder is revolved, and a spring-actuated feeding-bottom which presses the cards in the card holder toward the said plate.

4. In a card dealing machine, the combination, with a stationary support provided with a projecting pillar, of an eccentric card holder journaled on the said pillar, a plate provided with projections for dealing the cards, and a handle for rotating the said card holder, whereby the cards are caused to strike the said projections.

5. In a card. dealing machine, the combination, with a rotary eccentric card holder havlng a side portion for retaining the cards against lateral displacement, of a revoluble plate supported above the card holder and provided with projections which deal the cards as the card holder is rotated, and a spring spacing-device which normally retains the plate when its projections are in proximity to the said side portion.

6. In acard dealing machine, the combination, with a rotary eccentric card holder, of a revoluble plate carried by the card holder and arranged with its axis eccentric of the axis of the card holder and provided with projections which deal the cards when Isl the card holder is rotatedby means of the said plate.

7. In a card dealing machine, the combination, with a support, of a rotary card holder having a hearing at one side .of it which is pivoted to the said support, and a revoluble plate pivoted to the card holder eccentric of the axis of its said bearing, said plate being provided with projections which deal the cards when the card holder is revolved by means of the said plate.

8. In a card dealing machine, the combination, with a support provided with a pillar, of a rotary card holder having a bearing at one side of it which is journaled on the said pillar, a pin carried by the said card holder and arranged eccentric of the axis of its bearing, and a plate journaled on the said pin and provided with projections which deal the cards when the card holder is revolved about its own axis by means of the said plate and pin.

9. In a card dealing machine, the combination, with a card holder, and a revoluble plate for dealing the cards arranged above the card holder; of a slidable bottom in the card holder, a shaft journaled in the card holder under the said bottom, a springpressed arm carried by the said shaft and adapted to press the bottom toward the said plate, and a finger-piece on the said shaft out-side the card holder for retracting the said arm.

- 10. In a card dealing machine, the combination, with a card holder, and a revoluble plate for dealing the cards arranged above the card holder; of a slidable bottom in the card holder, a shaft journaled in the card holder under the said bottom, a springpressed arm carried by the said shaft and adapted to press the bottom toward the said plate, a finger-piece on the said shaft outside .the card holder for retracting the said arm, a spacing-block secured to the said plate, a lever secured to the said shaft, and a rod pivoted to the said lever and engaging with the spacing-block so that the revoluble plate is turned to a prearranged posltion with respect to the card holder when the said arm is retracted.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

J ENS ERNEST SCHMIDT. Witnesses:

-LoUIs EDGAR KIPPAX,

FRED. HAROLD Rrronns. 

